Howland, athletic director Dan Guerrero and other school officials did not respond to numerous calls and messages, but released this statement late Saturday night: "Contrary to multiple media reports this evening, UCLA has not fired men's basketball coach Ben Howland."

CBS Sports reported that Howland had not been personally contacted by Guerrero, which the coach later corroborated with other outlets.

Still, Howland's departure appears imminent. Zagoria said the Bruins will try and retain assistant Korey McCray in order to try and keep freshmen Tony Parker and Jordan Adams from transferring. Although Parker said this weekend that he will discuss his future with his parents, Adams had told reporters two weeks ago that he intends on staying.

UCLA's season ended Friday in an 83-63 loss to Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Asked after the game if Howland's future would affect his decision, Parker responded vaguely: "It is what it is. We still have to play basketball. I still have a long summer."

The Bruins won the Pacific-12 Conference regular-season title and reached the final of the conference tournament. which they lost without Adams, their second-leading scorer, who suffered a broken foot in the closing seconds of a semifinal victory against Arizona.

Howland has a 233-107 record in 10 years at UCLA, a .685 winning percentage. His teams reached the Final Four in 2006-08, but has failed to reach the Sweet 16 since.

He did not offer any goodbyes after his team's first-round NCAA Tournament exit in Austin, Texas, but did offer a "no comment" on Friday night when asked about his job status.

If UCLA's 83-63 loss to 11 th-seeded Minnesota was indeed Howland's last game, it was an ugly end to a once-celebrated tenure.

Though he is one of three coaches to reach three straight Final Fours since the field expanded to 64, Howland's recent history is sour: missing the NCAA tournament twice in three seasons, a first for a UCLA coach since 1984; multiple transfers out, including guard Tyler Lamb and center Josh Smith within a four-day span in November.

This season was a microcosm of all that, a turbulent run fueled by what many called the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. Count among the highs a 10-win midseason streak, a Pac-12 regular season title and a three-game sweep of Arizona. But the lows generated the most attention: freshman star Shabazz Muhammad's three-game suspension; a home loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo that blemished new Pauley Pavilion four games into the season.

At the Frank Erwin Center this weekend, the team skidded. Down to a seven-man rotation without injured starter Jordan Adams, the offense looked lost.

UCLA shot 31.7 percent from the field, its worst showing of the season. The game opened with a blocked shot and ended with a missed layup. In between were a bevy of miscues - from a shot-clock violation to start the second half to fouls that shackled the three big men.

Uncertainty lies ahead. Muhammad is widely expected to enter the NBA draft, though he said he hasn't made a decision yet. Kyle Anderson isn't as touted a prospect, but could decide to take the leap as well. Big man Parker might elect to transfer after averaging 6.3 minutes per game.

All three freshmen said they need to discuss their futures with their families.

Despite the stunning loss to Minnesota, there are pleasant thoughts too, most notably from senior Larry Drew II. Once stuck in basketball purgatory after a mediocre career at North Carolina, the point guard used his brief stint in Los Angeles to seize UCLA's single-season assists record.

"Coach Howland giving me this opportunity when I didn't think nobody else would, it means a lot. ... I have a lot of great memories," Drew said, his voice breaking he prepared to leave the locker room for the last time. "To be a part of this program really means a lot to me."

Guerrero was there as well, though staffers whisked him away quickly.

As for Howland, well, everyone gets fired sometime. Men have met worse fates than the potential $2.3-million buyout reported by the Los Angeles Times. Someone looking for a coach may very well spot him and take a shot.

"At the end of the day, he's going to be coaching basketball," Drew said. "That's what he does, and that's what he knows how to do best."